1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to mirrors. More particularly, the invention relates to a portable mirror having a flexible supporting member.
2. State of the Art
Mirrors have been an indispensable part of human existence since as early as Greek mythology. Throughout the years many have sought to improve the nature an quality of mirrors for various purposes. One particular type of mirror which has received much attention is the portable mirror. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,989,437 to Weisz discloses two circular mirrors coupled to each other by a gooseneck cable. The cable can be disconnected from the mirrors and held in a channel with the two mirrors face-to-face for compact storage. While this may have been an advance in 1934, the Weisz mirror assembly requires disassembly in order to be compact. Moreover, the Weisz mirror assembly is only suited for mounting on a table top. Further, the Weisz mirror assembly is limited in that the length of the gooseneck must be no longer than the circumference of the mirror.
Much attention has been given to the wearable mirror. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,071,243 to Tripp, U.S. Pat. No. 2,324,049 to Winslow, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,133 to Wright each disclose a mirror which is hung around the neck and supported by the chest. While this type of mirror may be useful in some instances, it is limited in its application. In addition, these mirrors tend to be very bulky.
While table top and wearable mirrors have received much attention in the patent literature, portable hanging mirrors have received some attention. U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,140 to Kody discloses a portable mirror which can be hung from a door or a ledge. Kody""s mirror assembly includes a flexible strap with weights at one end and VELCRO along at least a portion of its surface. A small oval mirror is provided with mating VELCRO on its back. The strap is draped over the top of a door, for example, with the weights near the top of the door, and the mirror is fastened to the strap via the VELCRO. While this assembly works reasonably well, it is limited to one application. In addition, it requires assembly and disassembly.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a portable mirror.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a portable mirror which is compact.
It is another object of the invention to provide a portable mirror which is easy to use.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a portable mirror which does not require assembly or disassembly.
It is jet another object of the invention to provide a mirror which is suitable for hanging and table top use.
In accord with these objects which will be discussed in detail below, a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a circular mirror having a frame with peripheral groove and a peripherally mounted gooseneck which is dimensioned to be wrapped around the periphery of the frame and received in the groove. According to the invention, the gooseneck is long enough so that it can be used to support the mirror in a variety of ways. For example, the gooseneck can be extended its full length with its end bent into a hook and then hung from a door. The gooseneck can also be bent into a semi-circle or similar configuration to be used as a table top stand.
The tremendous versatility of the mirror according to the invention allows it to be used effectively in a great number of environments, for example in showers, in dorm rooms, in lockers, in hotel rooms, in bathrooms, etc. The gooseneck is flexible enough so it can assume any shape and then completely wrap around the perimeter of the mirror for compact storage. Nevertheless, the gooseneck is stiff enough that it can support the mirror.
According to the presently preferred embodiment, the mirror is approximately seven inches in diameter and the gooseneck is approximately twenty-five inches long. The mirror frame is preferably metallic, either brass or chrome colored and the gooseneck is preferably the same color as the frame. The mirror is preferably sold together with a soft pouch which is dimensioned to hold the mirror with the gooseneck fully wrapped around the mirror in the peripheral groove.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the detailed description taken in conjunction with the provided figures.